Anyone else prefer mid sized or smaller ships to the larger ones.

[Elvis1209]

I went on Allure and while I was amazed at the ship I missed the "intimacy" of the smaller ships. So, I try not to go any larger than Voyager class. My last few cruises were on Voyager and Radiance class ships. I never got the feeling of being crowded and the CD knew us by name! I even went on a cruise on Explorer where the captain knew me by name! (It helps if you're both Norwegian and my grand parents came from the same town he grew up in !)

 

Elvis

[grand isle joe]

As RCL sells off their smaller ships and sends others to the "end of the earth" it seems I may be in the need for another cruise line to avoid those massive ships RCL has planned for the future.

[John&LaLa]

 

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[Jax129]

YES!! My first cruise was on Radiance, which we LOVED!! I like being able to sit in the Vicking Crown Lounge at night and look out the window, ditto with the piano bar. I prefer the atrium to the Royal Promenade. The freedom was nice but the Oasis class doesn't appeal to me at all

[Beachammo]

 

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LOL....

 

I saw a pillow just like that in Marshalls six months ago.

 

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[TexCruise371]

We are not big fans of the Oasis class ships although, we had great cruises on Oasis and Allure.

 

We prefer the smaller ships.

[CanadaRob]

Loved Jewel and loved Quantum too, preferred the personal touches on Jewel.

Have Liberty and Harmony booked in 18 but also am booking another Radiance or Voyager class some of the small ships have big itineraries

[pspercy]

Voyager class is our favourite, Liberty seemed too big. No real desire to go any larger.

[emory2001]

The largest I have been on is Independence, and it definitely felt big. It's a beautiful ship with a lot to offer, and I would go on it again, but for size I prefer a mid-size ship. I love Enchantment and Jewel (for some reason I can't really pinpoint, I didn't care as much for Brilliance). The outside dining at Windjammer on Radiance class is one of my absolute favorite ship features, and no other class has it. I would like to try Oasis or Allure once, just to see it, but I doubt I will need to experience it more than once. For regular cruising, I don't need to go larger than Independence, and I still want to try a Voyager class ship.

Edited March 14, 2017 by emory2001

[emory2001]

And I am not a fan of Freedom class. Not having an indoor solarium is a deal breaker. It is an overcrowded Explorer class.

 

 

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I definitely prefer an indoor Solarium too, especially on a rainy day.

[Seaside2358]

Just off Oasis. Like the smaller ships better. Had to wait forever for an elevator. Chair hogs out in full force so had to get a seat early in either Solarium or pool deck. Glad we tried it but I don't think we will be booking again.

 

Deb

[drrich2]

Cruised Celebrity's Constellation; still a big ship, but 'small' compared to Voyager class, much less Oasis class, had a fine time but missed the royal promenade.

 

Adventure of the Seas's southern Caribbean itinerary is great for port experiences. Can't match that on Oasis class. But the latter offer nice neighborhood experiences in Central Park and the Boardwalk. A huge play room for little kids is nice. I like viewing the ocean, but I don't have to 'feel like I'm on a ship' all the time. People often describe Oasis class as being like floating amusement parks, as though that were a bad thing. Vast numbers of people travel far and pay good money to experience amusement parks; if you can add the ocean to that, hey...

 

Some complain about not feeling the 'motion of the ocean.' My wife's prone to sea sickness; the ship shifting about can put her in bed with nausea. Some folks benefit from avoiding that motion, which even the big ships can get (as a recent Allure cruise showed us a bit, though that was chicken feed compared to cruising the Explorer of the Seas off the Atlantic coast in bad seas; she was bed-ridden part of that cruise).

 

In summary, it depends on who's going (e.g.: toddlers in tow? Motion sickness an issue?) and for what (e.g.: onboard entertainment vs. port excursion adventures).

 

Richard.

[CanadaRob]

The largest I have been on is Independence, and it definitely felt big. It's a beautiful ship with a lot to offer, and I would go on it again, but for size I prefer a mid-size ship. I love Enchantment and Jewel (for some reason I can't really pinpoint, I didn't care as much for Brilliance). The outside dining at Windjammer on Radiance class is one of my absolute favorite ship features, and no other class has it. .

Quantum has a smaller outdoor windjammer area but only 1 real opportunity to sail that vs the multiple radiance classes and ports available

[Caribbean Allan]

I enjoy the mid and small sized ships. I really enjoy seeing at least some of the same people. Even if I don't talk to them, it makes me feel like we're kind of a family. After all, "we're all in the same boat". I think it's fun to get to know their personalities.... what to look for, what I like, what I roll my eyes for... just getting to "know" them. Of course, it's better when we really do talk as friends, and bump into our table mates. I've been on the Oasis and Allure, and I rarely saw, or probably should say, "noticed" more than just a very few, more than once. On the flight on the way to Ft Lauderdale, the day before the cruise, I happened to be seated next to a couple that we really enjoyed. We got to know each other a little bit. They were going on the same cruise, and we promised each other to meet up and have fun together. We never saw that couple again once we left the airport. And it was a 7 day cruise. The absolute ONLY reason we went on the sister ship, Allure, after that Oasis experience, is that we had two grandchildren and two young grown children, and we knew they'd have fun.

[pjules]

Voyager class is my favourite with RCI however I can really appreciate smaller ships too (on other brands). I'm at the point where I'm tired of the big ships. I really don't need a water park and 4000 travel companions. I sort of wish the mass market lines will start building new ships in the 55,000-90,000 ton range.

 

 

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[drrich2]

I remember when I started cruising back in '06 on Adventure of the Seas, people talked about how Voyager class were 'too big' for them, some weren't interested in cruising on them, etc... Now I occasionally see them referred to amongst the 'smaller' ships. Crazy to me...

 

The theme of this thread recurs on the forum often enough it's inspired me to ask a few questions:

 

1.) Is there a shortage of smaller cruise ships in the Caribbean, and for that matter beyond? When you guys want to do an x-day cruise to y-destination, are you having trouble finding good ones?

 

2.) Older and smaller often means cheaper. Seems like the focus on big ships means better value deals on the smaller?

 

3.) People often lament that Royal's not building more smaller ships. Specifically what are you pining for? Is it just the novelty of a new ship, or are there more features you want that you don't anticipate being retrofitted into a smaller ship?

 

Radiance-class gets a mentioned often for the large amount of glass exterior-enabled oceanic views. Royal has 4 Radiance, 4 Vision & 2 Sovereign class ships. What does it need, and where, to provide the product you're looking for.

 

They say Royal sometimes reads some of these threads. Might be worth speaking up...

 

Richard.

[SPacificbound]

We definitely prefer the smaller ships. Vision class and Radiance class are our favorites.

Edited March 18, 2017 by SPacificbound
to add

[coaster]

Smaller ships rule. 1200ish passengers on Empress of the Seas back in July for a 5 nighter with a window for $179 pp. Just off Fathom Adonia a couple of weeks ago. 450 people with a capacity of 700. $299 pp with $100 credit and a balcony for 7 nights with a stop in Cuba. Like a private yacht at a mainstream cruise price. Feel spoiled, but just booked larger Navigator this November as I never repeat a cruise on the same ship. Smaller and older ships with lower prices is what I seek. I will go on Oasis class once they are around 15 yrs old and other folks are paying premium prices for the new builds at that time.

Edited March 18, 2017 by coaster

[grapau27]

Royal sold Splendour and Legend which showed they prefer the bigger ships.

We liked Splendour but if you are on longer than 7 nights and don't sunbathe because of a previous skin cancer etc the ports are something we enjoy but the lack of diversity on the smaller ships means you can get bored.

In our jobs we are dealing with people every day and mother in law who is 94 with dementia takes up all our spare time so on a ship we just want our time together and the big ships allow that and you can speak with people at dinner or DL but then not keep bumping into them all the time.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[pamela27]

We have never been on nothing bigger than Freedom class and have no desire to go any bigger class of ship.

They should build a new voyager/freedom class size of ship.

[Clarea]

We have never been on nothing bigger than Freedom class and have no desire to go any bigger class of ship.

They should build a new voyager/freedom class size of ship.

I don't think they will build a ship that small that would sail under the RC line. Much more profit in the super-mega ships.

[davekathy]

We have never been on nothing bigger than Freedom class and have no desire to go any bigger class of ship.

They should build a new voyager/freedom class size of ship.

 

Same with us. Our favorite is the Radiance class ships out of all the different class of RCIs ships we've cruised on.

Edited March 22, 2017 by davekathy